Many
older actresses that we’ve profiled had similar backgrounds
prior to their television appearances in the 1950s and early
1960s. Their professional lives usually included vaudeville,
stock theater, and Broadway in their résumés. Some
of these actresses came from rather well to do families. Such was
the case of Mira Frances McKinney. She was born on October 23,
1892 to William Mark McKinney and Loretta Frances (Beebe)
McKinney of New York. Mira’s father was a prominent
attorney whose political career included a stint as a New York
senator (1901-02), and a New York Constitutional Convention
delegate (1915). According to Mira’s IMDB bio, written by
her great niece (Peg McKinney), Mr. McKinney “came up with
the idea of compiling New York State laws in small manageable
divided books for attorney's to take into court. They are still
in use to this day.” Those volumes are known as McKinney's
Consolidated Laws of New York. He authored other law-specific
publications. One other interesting point from Mira’s IMDb
is that the McKinney family was the neighbor to Teddy Roosevelt;
in fact, Mira and her brother played with the Roosevelt children.

Very little is known of
Ms. McKinney’s early life except that census records
indicate her family was in New York up through 1915. The obituary
for her mother, Loretta McKinney revealed that daughter Mira was
married to an Edd Russell, but we found no other information on
him. Mira’s father, William Mark McKinney served as a JAG
lawyer in WWI (1918). The family relocated to San Mateo,
California according to the 1920 US Census. The McKinney parents
worked for the Bancroft-Whitney Publishing Company, with Mira’s
father as publications editor and her mother was the
editor-in-chief. The publisher specialized in law books. Loretta
McKinney held that position until her death in 1936, while
nothing further is cited for her husband.

Exactly when Ms. McKinney
got the acting bug is not known; however, as of 1924, she was
part of the Majestic Stock Company Players, based in Madison,
Wisconsin that included Ralph Bellamy, Edmund O’Brien and
Melvyn Douglas. As of 1925, Mira’s reputation as a West
coast stock actress enabled her to become part of the Waterloo
Players in California. One newspaper article stated “Miss
McKinney has been with some of the foremost stock organization of
the west country as well as some of the larger companies in
eastern cities” (WATERLOO EVENING COURIER, Sat. Oct. 24,
1925, p. 12). Who would have guessed that Mira even did comedy!
Her performance in “Nightie Night”, a British comic
farce yielded very favorable reviews: “The show is one
laugh after another with Mira McKinney, taking the big comedy
role…Miss McKinney puts a lot of good work into the part,
one that suits her immensely” (WATERLOO EVENING COURIER,
MON. Feb. 15, 1926, p. 9).

At the time of her
mother’s death, Mira had already appeared with Charlie
Chaplin in his film Modern Times (1936), and was under
contract to Warner Brothers. She had a credited role in a Perry
Mason film, The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937) with
Veda Ann Borg also in the cast. McKinney also appeared with
singing cowboy, Dick Foran in Blazing Sixes (1937).
Throughout her film career she had many uncredited and
nondescript roles, although for Young Fugitives (1940),
the audience witnessed both her familiar gruff demeanor and a
softer side where she actually smiled sweetly.

Her one scene in Santa
Fe Trail(1940)
showed her seated, looking rather dejected between Errol Flynn
and her husband after their town had been pillaged by Confederate
soldiers. In between her westerns, she appeared in Hot
Steel(1940),
Pittsburgh(1942), and Keep
‘Em Slugging(1943).
Her trademark “I’m the boss and don’t you
forget it” attitude was seen throughout Rough
Riders of Cheyenne(1945)
in which she delivered several rapid-fire slaps on the face to
her own daughter. That same year she was an unsympathetic prison
matron in The Man
Who Walked Alone.
One more appearance with the Stooges was Talk
about a Lady(1946).
That same year she appeared with Sidney Toler in the Charlie Chan
film, Shadows over
Chinatown. She had
a departure from villainy with the musical Beat
the Band(1947) in
which she portrayed Frances Langford’s proud, doting
mother, sending her daughter off as a singer on tour. Gene Krupa
and his band were in the film as well. With 1950 ushering in a
new decade, Mira returned to the Old West for Trail
of the Rustlersto
co-star with Charles Starrett, sidekick Smiley Burnette, and Gail
Davis. She did three films in 1951, one of which was Heart
of the Rockieswith
Roy Rogers, Frank Morgan, and Rand Brooks.

Mira
transitioned from films to television in 1952 in series such as
Boston Blackieand Sky
King. For 1953 she
did an amazing job as diabolical proprietress of a wax museum for
the Adventures of
Supermanepisode
“Mystery in Wax”. McKinney had parts in Topper,
Adventures of Jim
Bowie, Loretta Young Show,
as well as numerous episodes of The
Gene Autry Show, Lone Ranger,
and My Little
Margie. In 1957
she teamed up once more with Gale Storm for an episode of Oh,
Susanna!Her final
appearance was that same year on Sheriff
of Cochisewith
John Bromfield, Elisha Cook, Jr. and Dale Van Sickel.

Having seen some of her
film work, the Adventures of Superman episode, “Mystery
in Wax” showcases the demeanor she had perfected throughout
her movies. As Madame Selena, she held powerful men in the palm
of her hand when she created wax sculptured heads, stating that
they would all die within a month. McKinney really got into this
role and just the look and tone of her voice when she talked
about money and power, she made one believe that she was insane.
Unlike the many westerns and period films where her hair was
pulled back in a bun, Mira’s hairstyle of wild, short hair,
added to the fearsome character she portrayed.

What her life was like
upon retirement from show business is not known. She died at the
age of 85 on May 2, 1978 in Los Angeles, California.

Note: "Special
thanks to Barbara L. Frye for technical assistance with
the photos and to Lou Koza for the captures from "Mystery
in Wax".